Deep Questions with Cal Newport
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
Cal Newport
Ep. 363: Escaping the Digital Doldrums
1 hour 9 minutes Posted Jul 28, 2025 at 10:00 am.
]How should I pursue two different goals after leaving my software engineering career? [21:10]Should I leave my business analyst job and buy a retail business? [24:32]I’ve tried writing for editors (and publications) before with no success. Any suggestions on how to break through? [30:08]How do I convince my company that AI assistance is not the answer? [35:27]Is inspiration perishable like Naval Ravikant says? [38:11]CALL: Inbox anxiety [43:15]CASE STUDY: A public school teacher with a blog [51:27]WHAT I’M WRITING: No One Knows Anything About AI [59:13]Links:Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slowGet a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?amusingplanet.com/2019/01/walt-disneys-backyard-railway-carolwood.htmlyoutu.be/KyfUysrNaco?si=uE6tJkPuFhdnbla2&t=2490calnewport.com/no-one-knows-anything-about-ai/Thanks to our Sponsors: drinklmnt.com/deepcozyearth.com (Use code “DEEP”)calderalab.com/deepshipstation.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
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What does Walt Disney’s malaise in the 1940s have to do with our current struggles with our screens? In this episode, Cal uses a little-known story from Disney’s midlife to identify an effective strategy for escaping the nerve-deadening, dull state created by spending more and more of your professional and personal life on screens. He then answers listener questions (with an unusual level of spiciness), tries to calm himself with a reprise of the SLOW PRODUCTIVITY CORNER theme music, and concludes with a discussion of a recent essay he wrote about how no one really knows anything about AI.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmediaDeep Dive: [1:47]How should I pursue two different goals after leaving my software engineering career? [21:10]Should I leave my business analyst job and buy a retail business? [24:32]I’ve tried writing for editors (and publications) before with no success. Any suggestions on how to break through? [30:08]How do I convince my company that AI assistance is not the answer? [35:27]Is inspiration perishable like Naval Ravikant says? [38:11]CALL: Inbox anxiety [43:15]CASE STUDY: A public school teacher with a blog [51:27]WHAT I’M WRITING: No One Knows Anything About AI [59:13]Links:Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slowGet a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?amusingplanet.com/2019/01/walt-disneys-backyard-railway-carolwood.htmlyoutu.be/KyfUysrNaco?si=uE6tJkPuFhdnbla2&t=2490calnewport.com/no-one-knows-anything-about-ai/Thanks to our Sponsors: drinklmnt.com/deepcozyearth.com (Use code “DEEP”)calderalab.com/deepshipstation.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.